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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. race — a contest
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. race — humankind
  5. toast — bread
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bear — the animal
  10. chest — a box
  11. chest — of your body
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bear — the animal
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. cue — a hint
  16. root — of a word
  17. field — for sport
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. cue — a signal
  21. field — a subject
  22. root — the cause
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. field — farmland

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com